Tabu says women are judged more harshly for ageing in films: ‘They want to show you the mirror’

ACtor Tabu has ne'er been someone who follows the expected rules of the take manufacture. O'er the years, the acclaimed worker has built a reputation for choosing roles on her own terms, staying away from unnecessary noise and maintaining a level of honesty that is rare in celebrity culture. In a recent conversation with Harper’s Bazaar India, Tabu spoke candidly about ageing, the pressure women face in cinema and why she never learnt how to give safe industry answers.Also read: Is Tabu upset with Priyadarshan, Akshay Kumar for cutting her role in Bhooth Bangla? Director respondsPeople are more worried about your ageReflecting on the way women in films are constantly judged, Tabu pointed out how society often places far more importance on a woman’s age than the woman herself does. “People are more worried about your age than you are yourself. They want to show you the mirror, as though you don’t have one at home,” she said.The actor explained that ageing is not some sudden transformation the way people make it out to be. Instead, it is something people experience gradually every single day. “The person answering that question hasn’t aged overnight. We experience it every single day. It’s not like one day someone wakes up at 20 and next day they turn 45,” she added.Tabu says she never learnt industry diplomacyThe actor also admitted that she was often advised not to be brutally honest while rejecting films. According to Tabu, people in the industry expected actors to avoid giving direct opinions on scripts and instead use “date issues” as an excuse. “You should not give a real reason for not doing a film,” she said while recalling the advice she received. “Give the excuse of dates and walk away. I didn’t understand that. If I don’t like the script, I don’t like it. And I said so.”What’s next for Tabu?On the work front, Tabu continues to have an interesting line-up of projects ahead. The actor was last seen in Bhooth Bangla alongside Akshay Kumar. Directed by Priyadarshan, the horror-comedy released in theatres on April 17, 2026.She is also starring in Nagarjuna Akkineni’s 100th film, tentatively titled King100. This reunites them after 28 years. They were last seen together in the 1998 Telugu film Aavida Maa Aavide. Before that, they shared screen space in the 1996 blockbuster Ninne Pelladata. She started shooting for the film in April 2026. The project is being helmed by Naveen (Ra) Karthik, who last directed Made in Korea for Netflix.